


The Mystery of Pumpkin Spice

by INTPSlytherin_reylove97



Series: OneShots [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: ALLLL THE PUMPKIN SPICE, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Tension, Bad Flirting with Pumpkin Spice products, F/M, Finn and Poe don't like Pumpkin Spice, Pumpkin Spice, Rey and Ben are awkward because they like each other but live with each and their friends, Romance, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 17:43:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16372166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/INTPSlytherin_reylove97/pseuds/INTPSlytherin_reylove97
Summary: Someone in the apartment likes pumpkin spice (spoiler alert: it's Ben)...and Rey decides to make all a little more complicated.***Pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice yogurt, pumpkin spice cream cheese, pumpkin spice cottage cheese, pumpkin spice potato chips—Who the fuck eats pumpkin spice potato chips? Dear god, not even he would.However, Ben brilliantly remained neutral every time someone brought up the sudden appearance of these pumpkin spice inspired and flavored items. Claiming at every moment he did not know who bought them.Because he honestly had no idea who was fucking with him.Someone in the apartment clearly knew of his little…pumpkin spice addiction. And decided to use to garner his attention—well two can play at that game.





	The Mystery of Pumpkin Spice

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BellaRosa2187](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BellaRosa2187/gifts).



> This is for The Writing Den's Fall Fic Exchange :D
> 
> One of my favorite headcanons is Ben Solo having a sweet tooth, and when I saw this prompt I knew I had to do it!
> 
> I hope you enjoy it Bella!

Moving in together seemed to be the best option for everyone.

Ben needed roommates to fill the apartment and pay rent.

Poe and Finn wanted to live together, but not too far away from the university where Finn was completing grad school.

And Rey needed to live somewhere where the rent wouldn’t be ridiculous as she also completed grad school. The Seattle area was not cheap and her program only offered so many residents on campus living; she needed a solution and Poe came grinning with one.

Moving into his old buddy’s apartment. It was a three bedroom, two bath that was cozier than it looked in the photos.

Luckily everything seemed to work out after some convincing and goading. Rey initially felt she was imposing on Ben, but Finn convinced Poe’s childhood best friend wasn’t pretentious or strict despite his appearances.

Just quiet and kept to himself.

Not to mention also oddly sweet.

He stayed mostly in his room at the furthest end of the hall, while Finn and Poe made the entire apartment homey, Rey not objecting to their decorating. Occasionally the rather silent man would make an appearance if Poe coaxed him enough, coming out of his room for dinner so they could all eat together _like a family_.

She thought it to be a sweet gesture, but Ben clearly did not if the downturn of his lips were anything to go by. However, nearly every evening, they’d all sit together for dinner.

The only time Rey ever saw Ben remotely smile—honestly, it could have been the trick of the light—was early mornings when they were the only two awake, getting ready to leave for their respective work. He’d make his coffee, and as he watched the dark liquid drip rhythmically, a subtle smile would twitch upon his lips.

Rey ignored how her heart might have picked up at the small gesture.

He’d always make enough coffee for the two of them and ask about her plans for the day as it brewed. Or sometimes make conversation about her current grad work in art history, a favorite topic of discussion between the two of them. She found out a few weeks into living together they both had both completed their bachelor degrees in graphic and visual design, however Ben decided to forgo a terminal degree when taking a job with a growing media design company straight out of college.

Overall, the last nine months were easy and simple, and a solid routine fell upon their laps. Rey felt at ease knowing she felt at home in the apartment and was comfortable with the majority of the occupants.

And everything was great…until the holiday season began to loom.

That’s when things began to get a little...off.

First it began with the presence of a certain smell.

“Why does it smell like a bakery in here?” Finn asked when he and Rey entered the apartment after their respective afternoon classes. They walked back to their home to enjoy the crispness in the air and the light rainfall, the amenities of fall emerging in their neighborhood. “Poe better not be trying to bake again…”

He unceremoniously dropped his bag on the bench in the entryway, obnoxiously sniffing the air as he roamed around the room.

Shrugging off her coat, Rey hung it on the rack between Poe and Ben’s. Standing still, she inhaled the sweet, warm sent.

She knew it, “Finn, it’s pumpkin spice.” Setting her satchel down beside Finn’s backpack, she crossed through the living room where the smell was strongest. Her eyes caught the faint glow of a Yankee Candle on the hearth, “Poe must have lit a candle.”

“Hm, you’re probably right,” Finn conceded, “Not the best smell in the world, but I’ll let it slide.”

Not bothering to argue, as she herself was fond of pumpkin spice, Rey nodded in agreement before getting the take-out menus. Afterall it was Friday and none of them were in the mood to cook.

However, their little friend pumpkin spice decided to make another appearance throughout the week.

Pumpkin spice cookies now sat on the kitchen counter, followed by pumpkin spice muffins the next day.

On Monday morning, Rey examined the hardly touched pastry and dessert as she and Ben waited for the coffee to finish brewing. Picking up a muffin, she squinted at it before effectively ripping off the top.

Ben hissed in pain, “Why would you do that to a muffin?”

“What do you mean?” Rey glanced down at her pastry, “The muffin top is the best part.” To further prove her point, she broke the top in half and shoved one piece into her mouth.  Chewing, she hummed delightfully at the taste, discovering chocolate chips were embedded and melted lightly within the top. “See, best part,” she declared.

He scowled, picking up a muffin from the small array. Peeling off the wax paper cup, Ben bit into the muffin in one go, half of the pastry gone. He chewed thoughtful before swallowing. For a moment he hesitated. Then he set the muffin back down, then nudged it away.

Rey rose an eyebrow at the display.

“That’s how you eat a muffin,” he declared, “Like a normal human being.”

His eyes remained glued on the muffin.

Quirking her lips to the side, Rey leaned forward and pushed the half eaten muffin a little closer to Ben, “Do you—do you want to finish the muffin?”

“What? _No_ ,” Ben crowed shrewdly, “Why would I want to eat a pumpkin spice muffin? Nobody actually _likes_ pumpkin spice. It is a construct placed onto our generations culture by influencers.”

“I like pumpkin spice well enough,” Rey argued, pulling apart another piece of her muffin. “But I agree it is not all the be all or become all.”

“See, at least you are sensible,” he complimented lightly.

Stepping away, he turned back to the coffee pouring some of the brew into his reusable to go cup. Opening the little cookie jar beside it (one that never seemed to have cookies and Rey believed to be decorative) Ben pulls out small to-go creamer packets.

_All pumpkin spice._

He quickly shoved them into his pocket, then twisted the lid on his mug. Nodding to her once, Ben left the kitchen, slinging his briefcase over his shoulder in his exit.

Looking back at the kitchen counter, she saw the other half of the muffin was gone.

Frowning at where Ben stood, Rey tapped out a nonsensical rhythm on the counter.

Ben…was not as discreet as he attempted to be. Or maybe Rey was more observant of their fourth roommate than Poe and Finn.

For someone who claimed to hate pumpkin spice, Ben seemed to have an affection for the flavor. Eating the muffin with fervor and hiding those little creamers. He must have also been the one who lit the candle the other day…

A smirk bloomed on Rey’s lips.

 

* * *

 

When Ben entered the apartment after a long day in the office wrangling artistic nerds to actually design the damn avatars they proposed, he immediately stopped at the foyer.

He knew that smell…

Someone lit his candle; without his permission.

Dropping his belonging on the bench by the door, Ben walked speedily into the living room. Sitting innocently on the hearth was his scented candle, it’s homey smell caressing the air.

The question is who the hell found it? With careful detail and discreetness, Ben had hid and placed his pumpkin spice belongings in areas no one else would find them. Strategy and statistics were working on his side as he knew the majority of the apartments occupants did _not_ in fact like pumpkin spice. He simply used their unvocal nature about pumpkin spice to his advantage.

On Wednesday and Fridays he could light his candle because only he and Poe were home for most of the day, both completing work from home. There is another person to effectively blame the candle on. All pumpkin spice coffee products were placed in ‘decorative’ containers no one probably knew where functional. His pumpkin spice snacks—cookies and cheerios—were placed behind the tubberweare  in the top left cabinet, which worked perfectly considering Ben usually volunteered to put the food away after dinner and neither Poe or Rey could each the top self of the cabinet without help.

He’d been pushing his luck with the pastries that early morning but he could not help himself when he saw the giant display at the grocery store entrance earlier that Friday afternoon. Thankfully he demonstrated enough restraint to not by the pumpkin spice donuts or cream puffs or cheesecake…

Okay, he _did_ buy the cheesecake but it was in freezer buried with a bunch of other frozen foods. He could set it out later for a midnight snack… if there wasn’t anyone around.

Slowly stepping away from the hearth, Ben turned on his heel—only to halt when he saw who was sitting in the living room.

“You’re home?” Ben uttered brokenly, befuddled by her appearance.

“One of my classes got canceled,” she declared, flipping another page in her book.

Nodding once in understanding, Ben decided to head to his room and dress more comfortably.

But he needed to know who was encroaching on his pumpkin spice…eh, secret, as juvenile as it sounded.

“Who set out the candle?” He asked nonchalantly.

“Hmm,” Rey looked up, her glasses perched on the tip of her nose.

Whenever she wore her glasses she looked older than her twenty-two years. He often wondered how his life would have transpired if Rey was closer to his age, and they attended university at the same time…they probably would have been closer, maybe even closer friends than this strange roommate-cohabitation-friendship they sprung up.

Scolding himself for dwelling on such impossible what-ifs, Ben resisted the urge to nudge her spectacles up from falling.

She glanced at the candle then shrugged, “It was on when I came in.”

“Huh, okay,” he swallowed, “That’s strange but okay.”

“Okay?” Rey inquired, her lips quirking to the side as she studied him.

“Uh, yeah,” he mumbled out before briskly walking back to his room, hoping the heat he felt crawling up his neck wasn’t visibly noticeable.

 

* * *

 

More pumpkin spice or pumpkin variation products found their way into the apartment over the week.

Pumpkin spice hand soap for the bathrooms. Along with little pumpkin spice incense in every common room.

Pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice yogurt, pumpkin spice cream cheese, pumpkin spice cottage cheese, pumpkin spice potato chips—

Who the fuck eats pumpkin spice potato chips? Dear god, not even _he_ would.

However, Ben brilliantly remained neutral every time someone brought up the sudden appearance of these pumpkin spice inspired and flavored items. Claiming at every moment he did not know who bought them.

Because he honestly had _no idea_ who was fucking with him.

Someone in the apartment clearly knew of his little…pumpkin spice addiction. And decided to use to garner his attention—well two can play at that game.

 

* * *

 

One afternoon when it was only him and Poe working at the breakfast nook, Ben openly ate a pumpkin spice cookie only to cringe and throw it out.

Poe’s nose wrinkled.

“Dude, I don’t even know why those are there,” he picked up a cookie from the plate, sniffed it, then placed it back down, “I bet it’s Finn or Rey who bought them. Those millennials and their pumpkin spice.”

Ben smirked, tilting his head to the side, “We’re millennials, Poe. They are cusp-ers. Technically, we should be the ones obsessed with pumpkin spice.”

“It’s a garbage flavor—”

“Didn’t you date a barista in college—”

“Who’d always bring me Pumpkin Spice lattes? _Yes_ ,” Poe moaned, rubbing his temple. “Cute girl, but I swear my bloodstream was more pumpkin spice than actual blood during those two months.” His friend peaked at the cookies again, then mimed gagging. “Can’t stand the stuff anymore.”

Okay, Poe was _out_.

Only two more to go.

 

* * *

 

“Please tell me you got those bagels with the cheese!” Finn called out from his room.

Saturdays were ghost town days in the apartment. Poe was usually off taking BB—the awful deranged dog they _all_ loved for some reason—to his ‘doggy play dates’ and the dog park. Meanwhile Finn was locked up in his room, working on his thesis until he reached his benchmark for the weekend. Lastly Rey was at work teaching a basic graphic design class at the local community center.

Feet pounded against the floor, Finn emerging from the hall, skidding to a stop at the breakfast nook.

“Of course I got the asiago cheese bagels—I’ve learned from last time,” Ben assured his younger roommate, setting the to-go bag down on the counter. Opening the refrigerator, Ben pulled out the pumpkin spice cream cheese.

Finn cringed at the sight of the spread. “Is that the only cream cheese we have?”

“Yup,” Ben picked the contain, squinting at the label. “It has canola oil,” he tapped the top, “Apparently that’s good for you.” He put the cream cheese in front of Finn.

Bypassing the pumpkin spice flavored spread, Finn reached for his bagel.

“ _Yeah_ ,” he dragged out, “I’m just going to eat it plain. Pumpkin spice doesn’t belong on certain things.”

Ben nodded slowly, waving to the cream cheese, “Then who do you think bought it? Since _clearly_ neither you or I are going to use it.”

“Eh, probably Poe or Rey,” he shrugged, biting into his bagel. “Thanks for the food, dude.”

“No problem,” Ben answered, hiding away his smirk—ah, he had finally found his culprit.

 

* * *

 

On Friday morning, Ben greeted a groggy Rey with a halfhearted good morning, bee-ling to the coffee pot. As he got to work with setting up the filter and coffee grinds, he saw Rey get up from her spot at the breakfast nook and come to the refrigerator. He went back to busying himself with the coffee, the refrigerator door opening and closing.

Absentmindedly, he reached into the cookie jar…to come back empty handed. All his litter creamers were _gone_.

But he could have sworn—

Beside him a tall container was set down.

A large, jumbo size, Pumpkin Spice creamer.

One he _did not_ buy.

“Eh, what is that?” He attempted to cringe at the bottle.

Casually, Rey glanced back over, picking up their mugs from their mug tree. “Creamer, the thing people put in their coffee to make it less bitter.”

Ben huffed with an eyeroll, “I know what creamer is Rey—I mean why the Pumpkin Spice creamer?” He narrowed his gaze on her, expecting her to crack under the quiet tension.

Contrary to his expectations, Rey smiled back brightly.

“Oh, I don’t know. It’s the only one in there. I thought maybe you might have bought it—”

“ME? Pshh, buy _pumpkin spice creamer_? No. No, why the hell would _I_ do that?” Ben deflected on instinct, flicking the ‘on’ button harshly. Familiar whirring came from the machine.

Rey hummed, then shrugged. “I don’t know. Just a thought—it was probably Poe anyway.” She poured some creamer into her mug, waiting for the coffee to finish. “He seems more like a pumpkin spice kind of guy.”

“Right— _Poe_ ,” he breathed, hoping his next words would not sound too condescending. “That’s exactly who it is—after all I’ve known him all my life.”

 

* * *

 

“Pumpkin spice is the _grossest_ concoction known on this earth!” Poe hissed, nearly spitting back up the coffee he just consumed.

Hurriedly, Finn tossed his boyfriend a stack of napkins from the table.

Rey smiled awkwardly at the waitress, the woman leaving with a concerned glance. Rey slapped Poe’s hand away from the drink, an aggravated frown pulling on her lips.

“It’s not for you dumbass,” Rey scolded. Carefully she set the mug to the spot beside her, “It’s for Ben.”

“Who is ten minutes late,” Finn grumbled, picking at his chocolate croissant.

Poe patted his boyfriend’s shoulder, “He text me he was stuck in traffic. He’ll be here soon.” He turned back to Rey, “But I like this idea, getting out of the apartment and all getting coffee together. Roommate bonding and all.”

“Yeah,” she winced, “that’s not why we are here,” Rey corrected, “We are here to prove a point.”

Finn blinked, puzzled, “So you didn’t want to spend time with us?”

“No!” Rey exclaimed, “I mean no, no. I do _want_ to spend time with you guys.” She gestured to them, though their unamused expressions did not encourage her. “I just mean we are here for another purpose.”

“And this purpose is…?” Poe asked, leaning back in his chair.

She fidgeted under their twin stares of concern. Licking her lips, she tucked her hair behind her ear. Taking a deep, Rey continued, “To prove Ben has an obsession with Pumpkin Spice that he doesn’t want us to know about.”

The couple remained silent.

“He’s the one with all the pumpkin spice—”

“Why the hell would be buy cottage cheese—”

“Ah, no, no!” Rey held her hands up to stop their insistent complaints, “I bought those.”

“Why would you _buy_ that stuff? You don’t even like pumpkin spice,” Finn asked, resting his elbows on the counter. His face scrunched up, eyeing her, completely muddled.

“Because he feels he needs to hide it from us, and there is nothing wrong with liking pumpkin spice—”

Clicking his tongue, Poe rubbed his chin, “Then why would you go out of the way to buy all those snacks and—” His eyes widen dramatically, Poe sitting up against the table, “You like Ben!”

“What? No!” Rey blanched, fidgeting in her seat. Glancing down at her mug, she sipped her black coffee. “I don’t like Ben-why— _why_ would you even say that?” She huffed.

“Rey—you bought pumpkin spice _everything_ because the guy you like bizarrely likes pumpkin spice,” Finn explained plainly.

“Can we please stop saying I like him because I feel a rash emerging on my chest every single time you say it,” Rey spoke sharply, slashing her hand by her throat.

“Rey has a rash?” Ben asked, all the occupants of the table turning to him. He peered down at her, “You should get that checked out—”

“I _don’t_ have a rash,” Rey assured him, brushing any fly away hairs from her face.

Taking her comment for face value, Ben sat in the empty seat beside Rey. He looked down at the mug then back his companions.

“You guys ordered for me?”

“Rey ordered for you,” Poe announced cheekily, “She insist—ow!” He cried out, rubbing his shin. From across the table, Rey glowered at Poe, raising an eyebrow. “I mean, she knows what you like best since you two have coffee in the morning together—”

“I wouldn’t really call it having coffee _together_ —” Rey hastily interrupted, hoping to not make Ben uncomfortable.

“Oh, that makes sense,” Ben interjects with that little smile Rey had grown so fond of over the last nine months. Her heart pattered in her chest, all other defenses falling away from her. “I trust Rey’s judgement.”

Okay, maybe that rash was coming back with that little (major) comment.

He picked up the mug and prepared to take a sip.

The rest of the table waited with baited breath…and Ben _noticed_. He placed the mug back down, not drinking a drop. His dark eyes narrowed on the three, Rey squirming in her seat when his gaze lingered on her second longer.

“What is it?” he asked, wiping his hand down his chin, “Do I have something on my face?”

A chorus of ‘no’s and protests came from the three, Finn gesturing for Ben to drink the coffee.

Quirking a single eyebrow, Ben’s gaze swept them before lifting the mug once more.

They all leaned in every so slightly.

Ben dropped his coffee back down in its saucer with a defiant _clank_.

“What the hell is it?”

Indiscernible sounds came from the three. Ben huffed, picking up his mug and sniffing my drink.

“Did you drug it or—”

“No, of course not!” Rey cried out crossly, “Just drink it—ignore them, they are being _morns_ ,” she directed the last word to Finn and Poe, threatening nudging their ankles with the toe of her boot.

The couple became calmer, busying themselves with their croissants and hot chocolates.

Now without blatant peering eyes, Ben picked up the mug and sipped the drink.

He paused, then sipped again.

He then set his mug down, pushing it away.

“Ya know…” He crossed his arms over the table, eyeing Rey carefully, “I think I might be over Pumpkin Spice especially since for some reason there are all these pumpkin spice flavors in the apartment right now.”

Rey’s jaw dropped at Ben’s declaration, while Finn and Poe snickered and snorted across from them.

Ben continued, “I mean, who is even bring all that into the apartment because I know it’s not m—”

“It’s me,” Rey grumbled dejectedly, slouching in her seat.

“Yeah I know.”

“I mean it started out as a joke but then it—”she abruptly stopped, Ben’s words sinking in. Turning to him sharply, she narrowed her eyes, “What do you mean _you know_?”

He shrugged, nonchalantly ignoring their intruding audience, “I had a suspicion awhile back, but the other day confirmed it,” he peaked up at her, a hesitance dancing in his dark eyes, “Slamming down a big Pumpkin Spice creamer is not very subtle.”

Rey pursed her lips, averting her gaze back down to her own drink, “I only did it so you wouldn’t feel like you had to hide you love of it,” she stated downtrodden.

Honestly, Rey wasn’t too sure why she started buying all the pumpkin spice products she could get her hands on. At first it had been a little joke, hoping to get his attention but to also make him more comfortable with showing his love for the flavor. Afterall, he should never feel like a guest in his own apartment; Ben should be able to eat the foods he liked, even if they were borderline embarrassing. Then she noticed he _wasn’t_ reacting which only encouraged her to continue to get _some level_ of reaction from him. However he remained moderately stoic for the majority of her little endeavors. In retrospect, maybe the cottage cheese and the cream cheese was a step too far?

Needless to say, she realized now she caught his attention…he was just a stubborn, shy asshole.

A stubborn, shy asshole she found incredibly attractive and occasionally sweet.

“Well,” Ben gave her his little smile, “I appreciate it despite its…eccentricities.”

Her face felt warm, Rey involuntarily ducking her head down, “Oh, then uh—you’re welcome.”

“Thank you,” Ben replied, cringing instantly.

“You’re welcome—wait, I already said that,” she chuckled under her breath, sneaking a glance at him.

“Do—do you want to split a pumpkin spice muffin with me?” Ben asked shyly, “Since you know, you are the expert in all things pumpkin spice,” he goaded.

A brilliant grin lit up her face, “Absolutely. It’s a date.”

“ _Thank god_ ,” Finn groaned out, catching the attention of Rey and Ben. “I thought this would never happen!”

The two squirmed in their seats, Rey scratching her neck and Ben’s ears burning a fleshy pink. Way to leave it to Finn to make a _potential something_ —oh, how she craved for a _potential something_ with Ben—uncomfortable and cringy.

“Babe, shut up,” Poe said, standing up and pulling Finn from his seat, “We’re going to go…”

“That would be _great_ ,” Ben encouraged with a forced, closed mouth smile.

“And throw out all those gross pumpkin spice foods,” Finn suggested, grabbing his half eaten croissant to take with him. “Especially that cream cheese spread.”

“Yes, _please_ ,” Rey waved them off with a stern look. The two left, blowing obnoxious kisses on the way out.

Ben huffed a laugh, “Where did you even find pumpkin spice cream cheese?”

Rey’s eyes widened, splaying her hands on the table, “You will not believe how many _Trader Joe’s_ I had to go to…”

The rumble of his laughter made her heart race more than a pitter-patter, their little mystery of pumpkin spice all worth it in the end.


End file.
